A story on MCV with a quote in the headline (which isn't in the article itself) stating "Valve monopoly is killing PC market," reports they understand "that at least two big-name digital retailers are facing financial difficulties as they struggle to compete" with Steam. "I've fought hard for my customer, and never before have I had to give my customers away. Steam is killing the PC market and it is no wonder digital retailers are failing," says the director of a Steam rival. "Steam is locking down the market." In a separate report they also discuss retailer dissatisfaction with Steam's dominance of the marketplace, which insiders tell them amounts to 80% of PC downloadable games. Since this competes with online sales initiatives by retailers, they say at least two major U.K. merchants will demand that publishers remove Steam integration from their games or they will refuse to sell them. With PC game sales at retail stores in steady decline, it seems an odd moment for these stores to flex their atrophying muscle, but they quote the head of sales at a big-name digital service provider saying: "At the moment the big digital distributors need to stock games with Steam. But the power resides with bricks and mortar retailers, they can refuse to stock these titles. Publishers are hesitant, but retail must put pressure on them."

Nxs wrote on Nov 11, 2010, 23:19:I just thought that I would bring up some things that I do not like and there would be some conversation about how steam or an offspring from it could help the PC gaming community.

It is very apparent that that is not the way it is going to go.

For the fourth time, I am OK with this. I just thought that my views would bring forth some thought on how valve/steam works and how to make people like me want to use it or a derivative of it. I am going to have to say that I was wrong!

People that like and use steam have no reason to want a PC game without the use of a third party, from what I can tell, due to stats.

Did you notice that OTHERS agree with you about things they don't like about steam? Such as not being able to sell games? Some of them it stops them from using, some it doesn't. I wouldn't mind the ability to resell my games, but it doesn't stop me from using steam.

Did you know that impulse has mentioned they want to implement the selling of "used" digital titles? I think the publishers will love it when/if it happens, it lets them get another cut out of the used market, they hate gamestop over that. If it succeeds there will be pressure on steam to do the same thing, and they likely will.

The stats don't mean that "people don't want" other features and alternatives to steam. It just means the alternatives out there haven't beat steam. Going by pure stats you could say that no one likes anything but MS, which isn't true, there's a lot of people that like and use apple/mac stuff, millions in fact.

If you really want alternatives to succeed you should put your money where your mouth is and start buying from places like impulse or D2D, or EA store, or amazon, or gamestop, or whatever. If you don't want to do that or help start a company with an alternative, the next best thing to do to achieve your goal is to make your opinion known (just like in politics). Write to the game publishing companies (physical letters and email) and let them know you want alternatives. Write to steam, let them know you want such and such features. Write to impulse and tell them you want such and such features and would they hurry up with reselling games. Post your opinions on the internet (bluesnews is fine, but you should post on wider read places).

If you really want it, don't give up with a few negative replies in bluesnews.

Note: I love steam, it has its issues, but there's a lot to like about it for me. I'm just giving you some objective advice on how to work towards achieving your goal if you desire it enough to work at it. Plus, competition is good for the marketplace.

Sepharo wrote on Nov 11, 2010, 23:38:Child, troll, or idiot?

I'm voting child!

No, I don't think he's any of the above. I think he's just a non native english speaker. I've learned to recognize it. He still types it pretty well however. His word/phrasing choices sometimes hamper the points he's trying to make. Sadly, I've seen native english speakers worse, our public schools aren't exactly the best in the world.